Sparrow's Flight
by Lord Genesis Shadow
Summary: We all know the story of Sparrow of Bowerstone, how she lost her sister, got shot out of a window, and how she went about her journey of revenge. But there are so many different ways it could have gone. Here's how it went in one world. Chapter four is up.
1. The Beginning

Here you go. A Fable 2 fic from Lord Genesis Shadow. I'm feeling slightly unappreciated lately what with no reviews for any of my chapters lately, and last week I couldn't bring myself to even post. But, this week, I feel like I can. So, along with this, I posted two chapters for Jack's Journey. Three posts, something I don't do often, so I hope you enjoy it. It takes a lot of time to create even a half decent fic of a thousand words per chapter, and this one alone is over four thousand words. I'm not like most authors, because every time I post I need at least two to three thousand words for it to feel like it's worth posting. This one, I hope you all like it, I really do. Because if I feel like none of you like it, I'm not posting until Gallade's Arm is ready to go. And if that stops receiving reviews, then I'm sorry, you'll be going a long time without my posts again.

But enough about that, here we have Sparrow's Flight, chapter one. It took me a few hours and I was really in the zone with this. I've recently played through Fable 2 again, and despite that it didn't even get close to living up to the hype, I liked it. It was good enough for me to spend a fair chunk of my time on it, trying to discover every little fun thing to do, and I can go back to it for the sheer customization I can put on my characters.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fable 2, nor do I have any desire to.

Oh, and before I go, I wanted to hold a vote, but last time nobody bothered, so I just figured this would do. I've got a Fallout 3 fic, but I'm not sure if it would really take off. So, as much as I hate to, I'll say it again. Please review, because reviews are very helpful in telling an author how they're doing, and when an author knows that their readers like something or even if they don't like it, it helps them get better, which can get you even better fics in the future. Don't settle for a good fic, tell the author how to make a great fic, or an excellent fic. Help me give you better quality fics.  
…

I watched that night as Lucian shot my sister. I backed away, scared for my life. I was shot, and the force of the round threw me out of the stained glass window. I fell so far, and I hit a roof, then another, and finally I hit the ground on my back. My whole body ached so badly, and it hurt so much, I just wanted to die. Now, ten years later, I stand on the bridge over the entrance to the Gypsy camp. My dog by my side as I watched the birds flying over the lake, cursing the man that murdered my beloved sister Rose, and praying that one day I could finally return the favor by killing him, hopefully with his own gun.

"Ah, here you are." A familiar voice said calmly. I turned my head to see Theresa walking my way. "And with your faithful companion I see." I simply smiled as she walked up to me. "It has been ten years little Sparrow. I think that the time has come for you to take flight. I have taught you all I can in this camp." I nodded. "I have something for you. Meet me at your caravan." She turned and began walking while I knelt by my faithful dog.

'What a good dog.' I thought. 'You saved my life boy, and I owe you for that.' I rubbed his chin and he panted while raising his right paw, which I took in my left hand while smiling. I stopped and he barked. "Good boy." I patted his head and rubbed his fur slightly before standing. "Come on, we shouldn't keep Theresa waiting long. You know how she gets." I smirked, knowing she probably either heard me, or knew I had said it in her mysterious way. I walked along the path, my friends laughing, dancing, or otherwise having fun. I smiled as my dog walked beside me. In ten years, he had barely grown at all. I didn't even know how old he was. Heck, I hadn't even named him, just calling him 'boy' whenever I talked to him.

"Hey Sparrow, hold up." A familiar male voice called. I stopped and turned around. It was Max, the local Stonecutter. He had a bag in his right hand. "I hear Theresa might be letting you head out for something." He held out the bag. "Here's a little present for you, on the house. I hope you find it useful." I smiled and took the bag.

"Thanks Max, I'm sure I will." I said. He smiled and I put the bag in the magical pouch on the back of my waist. He leaned in and hugged me, as was custom of friends in the camp. I moved my arms back around him and smiled. "You're a good friend Max. I promise I'll come back to visit from time to time." He patted my back and pulled away.

"See you around Sparrow." He said. He turned and walked away with a smile. Everyone in the camp was almost always smiling.

'I love this camp.' I thought. 'I'm sad to be leaving, but I've got to kill that bastard for what he did. He killed my sister, and shot me through a window. I can never forgive that man for either reason.' I walked three steps before another one of my friends, Jill the owner of the General Store, walked up to me. "Hi Jill, what's up?" She smiled and held out a bag like the one Max gave me. I took it slowly and she smiled.

"It's a little going away present." She said. "I figure you'll be back some day, but until then, you might find these useful." I smiled and put it away before she hugged me. I smiled and hugged her back. "I'll miss you Sparrow. You've always been such a good girl to all of us."

"Thanks Jill." I said. "I'll be back, I promise." She pulled away and smiled. "I could never just leave my home behind for too long without at least coming back to visit when I can." She nodded and turned to walk away. I'd check the bags later. I turned to my caravan and walked up to it, luckily not running into anyone else. Theresa stood before a chest that had been locked for the last ten years. 'I wonder if she'll finally let me open it.'

"I see your friends have given you some parting gifts." She said. I nodded. She stepped away from the chest and gestured to it. "You may now take the equipment from inside this chest. I hope you find it useful." I stepped up to it as my dog bounded happily up to it, sniffing it and scratching it with one of his paws. I moved the now open lock out of the way and raised the lid. I reached in and pulled out a rusty long sword and looked it over. "It's not the best equipment, but it is difficult to afford decent equipment these days." I nodded and pulled out the scabbard for it. I put the sword in it and set it on the ground. I pulled out a worn looking crossbow. It was old, very old, and older than me I'd be willing to bet. "It may be an old weapon, but it still works. Just take care of it and it will take care of you in battle." I nodded and set it on the ground. It had a leather strap so I could carry it at my side or over my shoulder. I pulled out three bottles of red potion; I recognized it as a basic healing potion, mostly sugar water and mild sweet healing herbs. It wouldn't do much, but it would keep me alive until I could find another way to heal any wounds. I also pulled out a rare item, a canine healing potion. It would heal my dog up to nearly lethal injuries, but not death. It would also never run out, kept permanently full by a very powerful magic. I pulled out a shovel and put it in the bag quickly, figuring it would be useful in the future. There was a map as well, which I rolled up and put in my pack on my waist. It could hold anything in it, regardless of size. It was also very tough to damage, and it would be fixable with a basic stitch, which would disappear after a day. I pulled out a strange seal and looked it over. There was nothing else so I put the seal in my pocket, figuring it useful. "Equip yourself with your weapons and meet me at the gate." I nodded as she walked away. I grabbed the crossbow and slung it over my right shoulder, letting it settle on my hip. I picked up the sword and stood up. I tied it around my waist, settling on the left so I could draw it quickly with my right hand, my sword arm.

"Come on boy, we shouldn't keep her waiting." I said calmly. I put his potion in the pouch and my three on holsters of my belt. I smiled as we walked over to the gate, jumping the fences to get there before she did. The kids of the village giggled as I did so, and it made me feel somewhat happy to make them laugh. If only for a moment of time, I could genuinely smile. I leaned against the gate as Theresa approached. 'For once I beat you here.'

"Open the gate!" The gatekeeper called. The large wooden doors rose as I stood away from them, my dog barking happily.

"I know how long you have been waiting for this day Sparrow." Theresa said. She walked past me as I turned to follow. "Ten years I've trained you in basic swordsmanship. Ten years you've learned how to handle a slingshot. Ten years you've been waiting, ever so patiently, to find Lord Lucien, and take his life, like he took your sister's, and like he tried, and failed, to take yours." I nodded as I followed, the dog close behind me. She stopped at the edge of a steep incline, how she knew it was there I could only imagine. She gestured to the ruin on the island a good distance away. "That was once the entrance to the legendary Guild of Heroes. There is something there you must acquire before you can go on your quest. That seal is the key, and it will let me stay in contact with you." I nodded. "I can speak through the seal, so do not be alarmed if you hear my voice while I am not around." She turned to me. "I will contact you once you are inside. Make sure you are ready to leave. It may be a while before you can return."

"I am ready Theresa." I said. She smiled. I rarely spoke to her, and then only what was necessary. She turned to the gates and walked away. I walked along the path for a moment before my dog barked and ran over to a spot of recently disturbed earth. He began digging at it so I pulled out the shovel. He stepped back as I sank it into the ground. "What have we here boy?" I pulled up one shovel full and saw a red ball sticking out slightly. I reached for it and pulled it out, letting the dirt drop to the side. I looked it over and put the shovel away. "Well, you found a ball boy." I looked down at him and brushed some of the dirt off of it. I leaned down and rubbed his ears. "You're such a good dog." I smiled and scratched his ears. "Yes you are boy, you're a good dog." He barked and licked my right cheek, making me laugh. "Okay, now we've got to get going."  
…

I walked into the building after opening the door. It was quiet, damp, and very creepy. Something about it made my heart beat faster, but it wasn't fear. It was exciting. Not one person had been in the ruins for years, and that meant that there was bound to be a lot of cool treasure around. I heard a whining and I turned around. My dog was scared. I knelt by him and pet him for a few moments.

"It's okay boy, we'll be fine." I said. "We'll get through this, and then we can leave." He barked happily and I smiled. "Good boy." He panted and I smiled wider. "Okay, let's go. There should be some neat treasure here." My voice sounded excited, I knew, and I knew that I was right. A ruin that had no visitors for decades, centuries even, was bound to have some awesome stuff in it. I stood up and walked over to the end of a hall. There was a hole and I saw a lake below. 'Figures, this place would have some water in it.' I smiled at the thought. I loved swimming. It was how I got into such great shape. I jumped down and landed in the water. I made my way to the surface and slicked my hair back. I looked around and swam a bit forward when I heard a loud bark. I turned around as my dog landed in the water with a splash. He rose to the surface and panted at me while paddling. I laughed and put my right hand on his head. "Who's a big brave dog? Who's a brave dog that knows how to swim?" He barked and we began swimming to an opening.  
…

I walked up to the center of the room. I had killed dozens of monster sized beetles with my sword, and I had found a mace in a chest, along with a rusted flintlock pistol. They were infused with magic that created the bullets, though I still had to empty the gun to reload it. It was that way with all firearms, and crossbows reloaded much the same way. It wasn't a forgotten art, but it was tough to make such weaponry, making any gun or crossbow expensive. I had also found a rare jewel that was called an Augment, something only Stonecutters could make, and only with magical gems. This kind was one Max told me a lot about, a Bewitching Augment. Putting it on a weapon would make a person look more beautiful or handsome to others. It added some kind of glow to a persons' skin and hair, making them look somewhat ethereal so long as the weapon was with them. My rusted sword and the old mace wouldn't hold an augment, being so old and damaged from time, but I figured I could find another weapon.

Max had given me a really useful set of augments. The first was a Stoneskin Augment. When attached to a weapon, my skin becomes resilient to weapons, making it tough to get a scar. The second was a Gnarly Augment. This made my skin tougher to damage altogether, but the magic made it easier to break and scar for some reason. The third, and last, he gave me was a personal favorite, a Flame Augment. This would make my weapon burst into magical flames, which would hurt my foes much worse than a plain weapon could. It was beautiful and red, like a ruby. It was small, but I adored it. I had pressed it to my cheek lovingly, and it warmed my face and hand. I had even declared love for it. I love fire and flames, even the smell of smoke. It calms me somewhat, so I'd often stare into a fire before going to bed, sometimes roasting marshmallows over it and giving some to the children of the camp.

Jill had given me useful supplies as well. Five hundred gold coins, no doubt to help me, and some food. Carrots, celery, and several bottles of freshwater, for my journey. I'm not a vegetarian or anything, but I like eating healthy, and the Gypsies are lovers of animals, so getting meat was a task in and of itself. The last thing she gave me was a pair of blackened leather gloves, which I now wore.

'Sparrow, step into the light.' Theresa's voice said mystically. 'You will be given the power that all heroes once wielded. The power of magic, and the power to use the Mana of fallen foes to become stronger.' I stepped into the light and felt a wave of energy covering my body. I floated off of the ground as my dog watched me while whimpering. When I set down, I felt some kind of power flowing through my body. 'Concentrate Sparrow. I can teach you a single spell at the moment. Your body does not contain enough Mana right now for more than a simple spell, so I can teach you one from the list of spells on the broken table to your left.' I looked at it and grabbed the paper. It was old and faded, but I could still read it. There were several words, along with written descriptions. 'You may also use the Mana you've obtained to sharpen your eyes, your combat skills, and become faster. You can use it to become stronger and more powerful physically as well. Focus your mind, and feel the Mana, and will yourself to become stronger.' I thought for a moment and looked at the list.

'Time control, Inferno, Force Push, Vortex, Shock, Blades, Raise Dead, and Chaos.' I thought.

'Yes Sparrow.' Her voice said calmly. 'Select one of these, and I will be able to grant you the wisdom to use it at once. You need a single spell to activate the device at the end of the path.' I looked to the glowing blue ball at the edge of the room. 'It is a Cullis Gate. It will send you to a single place, the top of a tall stone tower a ways from where you are now. Please, choose a spell you would like me to teach you.' I looked at the list and thought about it for a moment. I finally decided on Shock. 'Then close your eyes. I will grant you the power to control the elemental force of lightning, and the knowledge of how to wield it with a thought.' I closed my eyes and suddenly I knew how to fling lightning from my fingertips. 'Now, activate the portal, and leave. You must get to Bowerstone.' I nodded and tucked the list into the pouch, dry by the magic that stored the items within.

"Come on boy." I said. I turned to the dog and he was wagging his tail happily. I walked to the end of the room and saw a chest. "Theresa? Can you hear me?"

'Yes Sparrow.' She replied. 'What do you need?'

"What's in this chest?" I asked. "Do you know?" She stayed silent for a moment before making a curious sound.

'I do not.' She said. 'See if you can open it if you are curious.' I nodded and walked over to it. I opened it and a suit of metal armor was inside, along with a strange metal handle. 'Interesting. You seem to have stumbled upon the legendary equipment of Hal.'

"Hal?" I asked.

'Yes.' She replied. 'Hal was a hero that appeared from seemingly nowhere one day. He carried a strange rifle, a strange pistol, and that odd handle wherever he went. He was the ultimate warrior, able to kill legions of Hobbes and other creatures without any effort.' I nodded. 'However, not one person in all of Albion knew his real name. He rarely spoke, and he never removed so much as his helmet. One day he simply vanished, and I guess this is where he had hidden himself.' I nodded again, picking up the handle. 'It is said that by gripping the handle, he willed forth a blade of lightning that was able to cleave Hobbes and any other creature in half with a single swing. The armor, he explained that only one who was fast enough, strong enough, and disciplined enough, could wear it. And whenever he was hit, it glowed a bright gold before showing no damage.' I nodded and looked at the weapon handle. I gripped it and two blades sprung forth with a crashing sound. 'Ah, you have discovered how it works.' I looked it over and loosened my grip. The blades vanished and I stared at it. 'His other weapons are curiously missing from the chest. And you are in no shape to be wearing his armor as of yet. Perhaps if you train with Mana, one day you can wear it with his level of skill.' I nodded. 'Until then, you can use Hal's sword to fight, but be careful. It may be fragile, and who knows what trouble could become of using it openly. I would warn of using it only as a last resort.' I nodded and put it away, hoping to figure it out later.  
…

I walked along the path, smiling. My muscles had grown slightly, and it was lean muscle. I was faster, my reflexes were sharper, and my muscles were stronger. I had willed my body stronger, as Theresa had told me, and I was happy at the result. I walked up to a roadblock and a guard looked at me.

"I'm afraid with the bandit activity lately; we are forced to close the path to Bowerstone." He said. "I am sorry for the inconvenience, but you will have to wait until the bandit Thag is dead or otherwise captured before you can get to Bowerstone." I nodded. "Thank you for understanding miss."

'Well, this simply will not do.' Theresa said. 'I hear rumors that Thag is to the north end of the lake. You should be strong enough with your magic to defeat him. And you have Hal's sword if you should run into trouble.' I nodded and began walking in the direction she indicated.

I followed the path for ten or so minutes before spotting a cottage and a chest. I ran up to the chest and opened it to find a dye inside. It was labeled 'Moonless Midnight', and I smiled. A dye was a magical bottle of pigment that would change the color of anything it touched, and it would never run out. It could be used for clothing or hair, and it could be removed easily. I looked at my brown hair and smiled. I opened the bottle and saw a brush on the inside of the cap. I dabbed it to my hair and it changed to black instantly. I smiled wider and dabbed it to my entire outfit, turning it all black. I smiled and closed it while my dog wagged his tail happily.

I walked back to the path and followed it until I saw two Gypsies in a caged wagon.

"Run, it's a trap!" The male called. Several bandits dropped around me, four of them I counted. I drew my sword quickly and turned slowly.

"Well, what have we here?" One of the bandits asked. "A nice little girl in our little neck of the woods."

"You look lost little girl." Another said. My dog was growling. "Why don't you let us show you a nice little place you can stay?" I gritted my teeth and felt lightning flow to the tips of my left fingers. I smiled as they backed away.

"You guys are so going to regret messing with me." I said calmly. I pointed my hand to the one ahead of me and the lightning flew from my hand to his chest. It enveloped him and he began jerking around horrifically while screaming. I took their stunned moment to hit another with it. The first fell while I turned again to the third. I blocked a sword strike and pointed my left hand to his fellow, who gasped when I shocked him. "Oh yeah! This is too awesome!" I smiled as the last bandit began backing away. "Oh no you don't." I pointed my hand and fired one last bolt into his chest. He screamed as he fell over. A bit of blue Mana flew at me, along with some green. Blue Mana was physical strength enhancing Mana. If absorbed by my body, I could use it to become physically stronger. Green was 'General' Mana, which could be used to enhance my body, my skills, or my magic. A lot of green would let me do a lot of neat things. Red Mana was magical essence, which would allow Theresa to teach me new spells. Yellow Mana was 'Skill' Mana, which made my eyes sharper and my wits keener. "Okay, now how do I get you two out of that thing?" My dog barked and I turned to see a cottage door get kicked open.

"Okay, you've got until the count of three before I kill you!" A large man said. "No two!" I smiled at his stupidity. "One?" He groaned. "Oh sod it!" He yelled and ran at me. I ducked away from him as he swung a large axe at me.

'Sparrow, you can learn a new spell.' Theresa said quickly. 'Perhaps Force Push would be useful. Knock him into the fire, and shock him. He'll go down rather quickly I think.'

"Okay Theresa." I said. I closed my eyes as I jumped back. I saw how to use it and I opened my eyes. He ran at me and I pointed my right palm at him. A force of energy knocked him back, tripping over a dead body and into the fire. I quickly focused the lightning and hit him with it, opting to finish him quickly.


	2. The Gear

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fable 2. This story is not being posted to make a profit, but purely for the purpose of staving off boredom and testing my writing technique.**

**Okay, I did not expect this fic to start off so well. It's doing well, so I think this is going to be my primary posting for a little while. Mostly I'm just glad it's appreciated, and I'm trying to improve as much as I can. But to improve, I need reviews folks. I must thank Overruled for such a helpful review. I'm always thankful for any advice anyone is willing to give, and I'll do my best to apply it when I can. Also, thanks allymcg777, praise is also welcome. It's nice to be appreciated.  
…**

I walked into the town. It had taken the better part of a day, but I smiled at the sight of the familiar stones. I had lived in the old part of town most of my life with my sister, before Lucien. All we wanted was to live in his castle, where we'd be warm and not so hungry all the time. I thought back to my childhood. A man named Arfur tried to coax my sister Rose into sleeping with him for food, but she never let him. She'd even kicked him in the groin one day, making me laugh louder than I had ever done in my entire life. Even though she did that, he still tried, and always he failed. Even that final day. We'd always been good kids as well. We'd help the guards and other people with things for a single gold coin. That day we'd gotten five coins, enough so that we could eat for five days. But we'd been talked into buying a magical music box by Theresa. It was said to grant a single wish to the owner, and it did. But the price for the wish still weighed heavily on my heart, and the pain in my right shoulder told me every single day that I needed to always be strong so I could get my revenge. We'd rounded up five wanted posters, given a woman a bottle of wine so some man wouldn't drink himself into another stupor, united a man with his true love, given nice poses to a nice man for some kind of 'picture' machine, and I'd cleared a warehouse of beetles with my trusty popgun toy. One coin for each of those got us that music box, but our wish, our wish had been twisted.

We'd gotten into the castle Fairfax, but Lucien had us stand on some pedestal. It turned blue, and then red. He shot Rose in the heart, which broke mine. Then he turned his gun on me, and shot me in the right shoulder. Ten, twenty, thirty stories I plummeted, before landing hard against a snow covered roof, then another, and finally that cold stone ground. My body survived because I'm a 'Hero'. I'm one of the last, and that gives me powers most people only know of as legends or stories. Throwing bolts of lightning like I do, lifting horses and carts over ones head like it was nothing more than a feather, and even running faster than a four horse carriage without breaking a sweat. I hoped that one day I'd be that great, that strong, and able to cast a lightning blast that could decimate entire armies of evil.

I realized that I was staring at some man with a lute, and he seemed concerned.

"Miss, are you alright?" He asked. "You seem a bit, out of it." I smiled and he stepped back. "Oh, you're alright then?"

"Sorry if I scared you." I said. "I was just, thinking about something."

"Well, I guess we all have things on our minds eh?" He asked brightly. "Say, you're the lass that killed that Bandit Thag aren't you?" I smiled and nodded. "Would you mind if I followed you around a bit? I'm a bard you see. I might be inspired, just by being around you, so I'd like to see if I can't come up with some good songs." I smiled and nodded.

"Sure." I said. "It's nice having someone to talk to." My dog walked up to him and sniffed his leg before wagging his tail. "Hey, even my dog likes you." He smiled and knelt to pet him.

"He's a smart dog I reckon." He said. "I know it, he's a good dog. He's got that look of being a loyal and faithful hound." He patted the dogs head and stood up. "And he's got good taste if he likes me."  
…

I stood at the blacksmiths shop with a pair of smithing gloves and an apron. I had taken a job while waiting for Theresa. She'd be three days to get to town, due in no small part to a damaged road. She couldn't see, but she could manage on her own. She was forced to wait for two days while they fixed the road for the carriage she'd be in, and it would take a day to arrive.

"So, you understand how to do this?" The Smith asked me. I nodded and twirled the hammer in my right hand.

"I've got it sir." I said calmly. "After all, I learned from you." He smiled and patted my back. He had hired me due to my newly strengthened muscles. They were larger, but still lean, so he taught me how to smith a sword. I was to try to make three before the day was done. I smiled and thought of the promised pay. I could choose one weapon from the stock, and I'd get fifty gold coins for my trouble. He'd also consider bonus pay if the swords were good enough.  
…

I smiled as I was handed the juice. I had gotten two hundred gold coins from my job. The skill I had was amazing, no doubt due to my being a Hero. I had sold the sword Theresa had given me, along with the mace and crossbow, which netted me another hundred coins. I had chosen a steel katana with two Augment slots in the hilt. I put the Flame Augment and the Bewitching Augment into it. Flames licked the surface when I held it, and my skin seemed slightly fairer just having it next to me. My hair also had a new shine to it. I smiled wider as I put the money down for the drink. I slowly sipped it, enjoying the wonderfully sweet taste to it. It was my first drink that wasn't water, and I was going to enjoy it. I had also bought a steel Clockwork pistol for fifty coins, which was a special discount. It had a five bullet capacity, and two Augment slots on it as well. I had put the Gnarly and the Stoneskin on it. I felt the effects immediately. My skin didn't feel different, but I felt stronger for the changes. I sipped the juice and a man walked up to me.

"Well, hello there." He said calmly. "I saw you working as a Blacksmith today. I must say, I like seeing a girl doing a man's job so well." I smiled as he sat down on the stool next to me. "I'd like to get to know you better." I looked at him and continued smiling. "I am Christopher Aster." He held out his right hand while I set down my drink.

"They call me Sparrow." I said. He stared as I shook his hand.

"Sparrow?" He asked. I nodded.

"It's what my sister called me when I was a child." I said. I kept my emotions in check while I returned my hand to my drink. "We were orphans, living on the street. One day, we got to go to Castle Fairfax, but it didn't end well."

"What happened?" He asked.

"Well, my sister died that day, and I fell out of a window." I said. I'd keep most of the details to myself. "She, well, a gun went off and it hit her. I, tripped and fell." He stared. "I was adopted by Gypsies, but that's not the life for me. I figured I'd become a traveler and just roam around wherever I could." He nodded. "So, what do you do for a living?"

"Um, I own the local barber shop." He said. "If you ever need a haircut, I'm the guy to see." I smiled. My hair was done in a short ponytail behind my head, and that's how I liked it. "I also sell magical dyes for all purposes." I nodded. "Now that I take a closer look, you wouldn't happen to be using Moonless Midnight in your hair and clothes would you?" I smiled.

"Yes, I am." I replied. "I found it outside of town before I killed Thag the bandit." He stared at me. "It's the truth. I have his head as proof. Would you like to see it?" He blushed. I was a very upfront kind of girl, and carrying Thag's head, magically kept from rotting, was a sort of macabre trophy.

"You carry his head?" He asked. I nodded and set my drink down. I pulled the head out of the bag and a crowd gathered to look at it. "Good god, you really did kill him." I smiled and held the head up for the crowd.

"Yeah, and he barely put up a fight." I said proudly. "He went down like a sack of rotten potatoes."  
…

I sat up from the bed at the inn and stretched. I smiled and got out of the bed and looked at the table. I had a girl wash my clothes while I slept. She had put them on the table. I had slept in the nude, alone. I pulled on my pants and looked at my hands. There were faint blue lines going up my arms in strange patterns.

'What the?' I wondered. 'Oh, these must be Will Lines. Theresa said that getting so much magical power can result in blue lines appearing on my skin. This is kind of cool.' I heard a knock at the door and I looked at it.

"Hello, miss, um, Sparrow?" A male voice called. "You asked that we wake you up at this time?"

"Thank you, I'm already up actually." I said. "Thank you though."

"Is everything alright in there?" He asked. "Would you like breakfast delivered?"

"No thank you." I said. "I'm fine." I pulled on my shirt, followed quickly by my boots, and smiled. The Dye was permanent and could not be removed by water. One had to dab the same color that was applied to make it go away.

"Would you like breakfast prepared at the front for you?" He asked. I smiled.

"No thank you." I said. "I'm going out to get breakfast. Thanks anyway." I heard him walk away while I put my boots on. I quickly put my gloves on and flexed my fingers. I walked to the door and opened it. I walked down the steps with a content smile. It genuinely felt good to be back in Bowerstone, so I smiled wherever I went. I'd be going back to the Blacksmith to earn some more money, and maybe get some information. I saw Christopher talking to the innkeeper as I walked by. I walked out the door and saw my dog sitting by the sign. "Hey boy, how are you doing? Did you sleep well?" He wagged his tail and looked up at me. I knelt by him and pet him for a few seconds. "You're such a good dog." I smiled as he stood up and licked my right cheek again. I stood up and he wagged his tail. "I think I should find some new clothes. I may as well look presentable to the public, and it can't hurt to have some spare clothes for any situation." I walked along a path when the bard from the day before walked up.

"Hello Sparrow." He said. "I've got some interesting news." I nodded. "I heard from a guy in the tavern last night, around midnight, that you've got some big fans for killing Thag." I smiled. "I sang a tune for them, and they loved it." He smiled and held out a coin pouch. It wasn't very big, but there were a fair number of coins from the jingling. "This is all thanks to you Sparrow; you've inspired me to write a good song. People loved it, and they paid me to sing it five times last night. I cleared fifty gold thanks to you." He put the pouch away. "Thanks Sparrow, I owe you for this." I shook my head.

"You came up with the song on your own." I said. "Sure I gave you the idea, but it was you that sang it. If people hear about me, that makes it easier for me to get what I'm after. And the more people that know about me, the faster I find out the local situations wherever I go." He smiled and nodded.

"Oh, and I also heard that there's a sale today going on at the clothing store." He said. "And the owner wants to give you a free outfit of your choosing, along with a permanent ten percent discount, which goes along with the sale." I smiled. "I'd hurry over and see what you can get Sparrow. I'm off to see if anyone wants to hear about your exploits. Toodles." He walked away as I smiled.  
…

I stood in front of the mirror as the tailor measured my body. I took the time to really look at how much I'd grown over the years. My hair was done in a ponytail, as I'd had styled back at the gypsy camp a few weeks before I'd left. Whenever I'd let it down, it would be just past my shoulders in length, and light brown in color. My eyes were light blue, and my face was rather pretty, if I do say so myself. The tailor was a woman who had become quite taken with the tales of my deeds, and by her measurements I stood at five feet eight inches tall. Looking at myself in the mirror, I really appreciated my slim build. Thinking about it, I guessed that I was probably one hundred and thirty pounds at the most. I had a small smile on my face, mostly because I was finally starting on the quest that I vowed I would go on when I was still hurt in Theresa's caravan all those years ago.  
…

I sat in the bar, enjoying a glass of apple juice in my new clothes. I had a pair of thigh length boots, dyed black, a pair of black Highwayman trousers, and a black Highwayman jacket over a knotted shirt, and the gloves I had. I had also bought a Highwayman mask, which was red. It fit over my whole head, but a hole let my ponytail out. I had earned three hundred gold that day, and that put me over the thousand dollar point. I had twelve hundred gold coins altogether, and most of the stuff I had was given to me. I smiled as I sipped my juice.

'Nothing like a cold drink after a hard day, eh Sparrow?' Theresa's voice asked.

'Theresa, can you hear my thoughts?' I asked.

'Yes.' She said. 'This way you will not make people think you're crazy, and we can still communicate.' I nodded slightly, just enough for her to know I understood, but not enough for people to think I was agreeing with something they might be saying. 'So, you're enjoying a cold drink after a hard day's work.'

'Yeah, it's not too tough making swords, but it gets pretty hot working there.' I thought. 'And a drink helps me unwind.'

'Well, I shall arrive tomorrow.' She said. 'I hope to arrive before sundown, so I can explain what is going on.' I sipped my drink slowly, taking in the taste. 'I suggest you get some supplies from the general store tomorrow. Perhaps items you wouldn't expect can be useful.'

'Like a lute?' I thought smartly.

'Yes actually.' She replied. 'It can help while away the time when you are on the road. And it can help get attention from villagers if you need to talk to someone. I hear that a lot of people love the sound of a lute, so it may be worth buying one.'

'Okay, anything else you can think of?' I asked.

'Anything you can think of should be enough.' She replied.  
…

I looked through the items on the list and thought about what I wanted.

'Okay, the lute may be useful, and it can help get over boredom.' I thought. I saw one that made me nervous. 'Well, just in case I do decide to, do that. I should get a few of those. Like, ten to be safe.' I shuddered at the thought. The items I wanted were condoms made of animal intestines. I figured that if I did decide to have sex with a man, I'd have him wear one so I wouldn't get pregnant. 'Oh, a collar, that's a great idea.' I thought about the collar. There were five. 'Fibrous utility, or just a regular? One is made of rope, the other is simple leather. One may be useful later, since I can untie it and use it if I need to.' I thought about it and decided on the rope. It had a tag I could engrave the name onto, so I decided to go with that.

"So, have you given some thought to what you'd like miss?" The woman asked. I nodded.

"Yes." I said. "I'd like one Collar of Fibrous Utility, one Lute." I looked around guiltily. "And ten condoms please." She giggled while I blushed. "Well, I don't have a boyfriend, but if I do decide to, well, you know, I don't want to get pregnant at this point in my life." She smiled knowingly while I blushed even deeper. She put the ten wrapped items on the table and I lowered my head. 'God, Theresa would kill me if she knew I was buying these things. And Rose would never let me hear the end of it.' I looked around again while she put the lute and collar on the table. I put down fifty gold for the items and she smiled. "Thanks." I put the condoms away quickly, followed by the lute. I grabbed the collar and put it over my dogs head, making him wag his tail. "You know, I should name you boy. I've put it off for way too long." I thought for a moment as he tilted his head, as if he understood what I said. "I know, I'll call you Rex. Do you like that? Rex?" He barked twice. "Rex?" He barked again. "Sit Rex." He sat. "Roll over Rex." He rolled over and I smiled. I stood up and the woman had set a bag of treats down.

"On the house." She said. I blushed and bowed.

"Thank you." I said quietly.  
…

I stared out at the tower in the distance. Lucien was there, but no boat dared sail to it. I was too weak to attempt an attack anyway. I'd need the help of three other Heroes. The Heroes of Strength, Skill, and Will. Theresa had given me several Tarot cards; each with a story centered the picture on it. I was told that I was the Hero of Balance, one who had the powers of all three, to a lesser extent. I could become almost as strong as the Hero of Strength, nearly as good a shot as the Hero of Skill, and close to as skilled with magic as the Hero of Will. The first Hero was in Oakfield. I'd just have to find the Hero, a female according to Theresa. She had gone back to the ruins of the Heroes Guild to set up a place to return to. Since it was easy to scale the small stone tower, I could return easily. And by focusing my magic on the Seal, I could return to her in an instant.


	3. The First

**Okay, here we are, chapter three of Sparrow's Flight. I see that this is nearly as popular as Gallade's Arm, and that is quite amazing to me. Know this, I am working hard on Gallade's Arm at the moment, and I think I should have it done in a few weeks if all goes well.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that this work of fiction is in no way made to make a profit, and that I do not own the rights to Fable II. There, I said it again. As much as I don't like to, I said it again, and I'll say it again next week, and the week after, and as many times as I must in order to not get sued. Good day, and please review.  
…**

I walked calmly about the road toward Oakfield, mostly just keeping an eye out for bandits. I walked up to a man looting corpses from a crashed carriage.

"Oh, uh, this isn't what it looks like." He said. "Well, okay, it is, but it's not like they're gonna need this stuff, right?" I gave a disgusted groan.

"Have you no respect for the dead?" I asked. He just shrugged.

"Like I said, they ain't gonna need this stuff." He said. I shook my head and walked past him, giving him a disgusted look.

'That was good Sparrow.' Theresa said. 'We must stay mindful of the task ahead.'

'I really don't understand why he's like that.' I replied. 'Why would he loot corpses instead of work? It's not that tough to smith a sword, or sell produce or stuff like that.'

'Some people take to thievery to make easy money.' She said. 'They believe that they will earn all they need and more from picking pockets because they never truly learned right from wrong.'

'Don't they know the old adage 'Money easily made is money easily lost'?' I asked.

'Not everyone knows the old sayings.' She replied. 'These people never truly learn respect, kindness, or personal honor. These days, finding someone that knows how to be respectful just for the sake of it, or someone that is kind that has no ulterior motive, or has their own sense of personal honor, is like finding a thousand gold coins in a bowl of salad.'  
…

I jogged along the road calmly. I smiled as I spotted the town in the distance. I had killed dozens of bandits, as well as Hobbes. A man had me try to save his kid, but we were too late. He died, and I had to kill the Hobbe that the boy had somehow become. I was sad, but I had to keep going. Though, I always thought the stories that Hobbes kidnapped children to turn them into more Hobbes were just something to get kids to be more compliant.

I had ended up killing a Bandit named Dash. He had run a good ways, but he had climbed up onto a stone construct and bragged about his speed. I put a single bullet in his head and he fell down. He called himself famous, so I kept his goggles as proof he was dead. I had found a chest full of bandit clothes, so I kept them for later, if I ever felt they could be useful.  
…

"So, this is Oakfield." I said to myself. I walked along calmly when a town guard walked up to me.

"Hello, welcome to Oakfield." He said calmly. "It's good to see a new face, even if you are wearing a mask." He held out his right hand, which I took with a smile. "So, I'm the captain of the guards here. Who might you be?"

"Sparrow." I replied simply.

"The same Sparrow the bards sing of?" He asked. I smiled and nodded. "My word, the girl that beat Thag, here in Oakfield." He smiled. "I'm feelin' pretty proud right now. I can say I got to shake the hand of Sparrow, the lady that brought down the bandit Thag." I pulled out the goggles of Dash and his jaw dropped. "And you killed Dash? My goodness you work quickly." He smiled again. "We'll need more bandits at this rate eh?" He laughed as I smiled and put the goggles away.  
…

I walked up the steps to the monastery with Rex right behind me. I smiled as I reached the top. I walked up to a temple and heard a couple of monks talking.

"I know we must send the strongest monk to do this, but this is my daughter." One said. He looked like the head monk. "I will choose her bodyguard personally. I cannot let her take such a risk to get the water for the Golden Oak." I walked in and they turned right as I did. "Who are you?"

"I'm Sparrow." I replied. They stared. "Um, I might be able to help if you need someone to protect someone." They looked at each other and then at me.

I had learned the Time Control spell, along with the Inferno. I was even stronger and faster, my eyes sharper, and I had more noticeable Will Lines. They probably saw me as a strong looking woman with a sword on one hip and a pistol on the other, wearing a red mask that concealed her face. They saw someone that could protect the head monk's daughter.

"I've heard good things about you Sparrow." The head monk said. "Are you sure about this though? I need you to help my daughter Hannah get the water for the Golden Oak, as she is the only one who can carry the holy pitcher." I nodded.

"I'll be glad to help." I said. "I've heard about this Golden Oak. It makes the ground really fertile, and a lot of people depend on the crops for food, even in other towns."  
…

I walked along the path to the place I was to meet Sister Hannah. I smiled as Rex tagged along closely. I heard a voice in the distance.

"Down by the reeds." The voice sang. "Down by the reeds. Swims the Sirens of Oakvale, out to the seas." I walked on, listening to the haunting voice. It was female, and very beautiful. "Down by the reeds, down by the reeds, float the souls left unbroken, by White Balverines." I walked closer, seeing a very large woman sitting on a wall with a brown bottle in her left hand. "Down by the reeds, night blooming weeds, embrace those who go dancing, in sad moonlit dreams." I walked close to the wall and she didn't notice me. "Down by the reeds, a twisted path leads, to Banshee's that breathe out, a cool winter breeze." I remembered hearing Rose sing this song to me as a lullaby.

"Nobody knows." I sang. She looked down at me.

"Nobody sees." She continued.

"The sirens of Oakvale." We sang together. "Down, by, the, reeds." She smiled and finished her drink, a beer by the smell of the area.

"You're a pretty good singer." She said. She tossed the bottle, which I heard land in a soft bush. She hopped down and landed in front of me. "I'm Sister Hannah. Most of the other monks call me 'Hammer', because I'm so big. They think they're being funny." She sighed. "They're not."

"I'm Sparrow." I said. "Your father hired me to help you get the water for the Golden Oak." She smiled and saw Rex. He ran up to her and started licking her face.

"Hey boy." She said happily. She pushed him back slightly and knelt to rub his chin and face. "Is this your dog? He's a big fella isn't he?" She smiled as I nodded. "He's a real tough looking dog; I bet anything in this cave would be scared of him, eh?"

"Yeah, Rex is one tough dog." I said. She stood up after patting his head. She grabbed a giant jug and groaned as she lifted it onto her back.

"Let's get to it then shall we?" She asked. I nodded and followed her into the cave.  
…

We stood in the first room. She had talked about the lights in the first cavern being the spirits of the dead that hadn't yet passed on to the afterlife. We stood on two separate pressure pads and a stream of water fell into the jug.

"Oh yeah, now I can feel the weight of this thing." She said. "So, what's it like being an adventurer? I bet you've explored a cave or two before now eh?"

"Yeah, I've been in a cave before." I said casually. "I went into the ruins of the old Heroes Guild about a week ago." She whistled. "Found an Augment, some weapons, killed a bunch of beetles, the usual one could expect of a ruin."

"Whoa, sounds like fun." She said. I nodded.

"Yeah, but it doesn't really bring in a lot of money." I said calmly. "I had to take up a job as a blacksmith for a few days to get any real money. I used some of that on my clothes, my gun, and some food and water. It's actually kind of expensive being a traveler these days." She nodded.

"Yeah, but you get to go around all over the place." She said. "You get to meet interesting people, you get to fight bandits, find love, and you do all kinds of things I've only ever dreamed about." I thought about her words. She looked up as the water stopped flowing. "Well, it looks like that's all the water we're getting out of this spot. Let's head on to the next one." I nodded as she hefted the large jug onto her back again. She started walking, and I followed. Rex was behind me, panting and wagging his tail.

'Theresa?' I thought. 'Is Hannah the Hero of Strength? She's stronger than anyone I've ever met. I think she's the one I'm looking for.'

'Yes.' Theresa said calmly. 'She is very strong. But she won't be a Hero unless she is motivated to drop her pacifist lifestyle. I'm not sure how you're going to manage that.' I smiled and caught up with Hannah. 'But, perhaps you can keep talking about being a 'traveler'. She seems to wish to live a life outside of being a pacifist monk. I'd be willing to bet a large sum of gold that she wishes to leave the monastery and her peaceful life for a bit of adventure.'

'Thanks Theresa.' I said. "So, why are you fascinated with adventure?" Hannah turned her head as I walked beside her and shrugged.

"Well, I heard of these warrior monks to the north." She said. "They train to fight to protect people, but they're still peaceful, only fighting when they absolutely have to. I guess I want to travel to do the same. I want to protect people and bring about peace on my own, instead of just praying day after day." I nodded. "I mean, if I could protect one person from one bandit, that'd be one more safe person and one less bandit in the world." She smiled. "I guess it's my dream to one day get up the courage to leave the temple and just head out on the road. But, if it's expensive as you say, then I'll be a while yet before I can leave."

"Well, doing odd jobs for room and board works fine for me." I said. She stopped at the edge of the caver leading to a winding road over a steep fall. "Working as a woodcutter, a blacksmith, a bartender, you can make enough money to get by, and you'd meet a lot of interesting people that way." She nodded. "I myself studied under a blacksmith for a bit, and learned how to smith a basic long sword. I made three swords the first day; he paid me two hundred gold coins. That alone got me by for a night at the inn and then some." I smiled. "I went back the next day, made five swords, and got some more gold. It's not the best job, but it's a good feeling working for my gold." She nodded and began walking again. One of the lights near the ceiling fell to the ground and a body erupted from the spot it landed on, a sword in the right hand and an axe in the left. "What in the hell is that?" I grabbed my sword as Rex growled ferociously. I drew the blade and stepped forward. "Come on double ugly, let's get it on."

"Be careful Sparrow, that's a Hollow Man." Hannah said. "It's like a Zombie, only meaner and smarter." I stepped in and swung, but it jumped back slightly. I stepped back and drew my pistol in my left hand, firing at the right hand, knocking the sword into the abyss below us. It merely growled and walked forward. It swung down with the axe, and I blocked it with my sword. I pointed the gun at its head and fired, taking it clearly off of the neck. It fell over and I stepped back. "Wow, you got him." I smiled for a second but it began moving. "It's not dead?"

"It's dead, but that doesn't seem to deter him that much." I said quietly. I put the pistol away and charged a blast of force energy in my hand. It stood up and began moving toward me, and I looked back to see the edge of the path. I chuckled and stepped aside as it walked. It fell over the edge and I smiled. "What a freaking easy kill. I barely did anything, and he just fell." I stepped back and swung the sword over my wrist. "Are you okay Hannah?" I looked back at her and she nodded, but gasped suddenly. I turned my gaze back and saw three of them. "No challenge." I smiled as they began walking fast toward me. I blasted the closest off of the edge of the chasm and I smiled. "Easy pickings." I charged another as Rex ran in. He jumped onto the farther one, knocking it down and ripping the left arm off before running away from it. I stepped in quickly and sliced the Hollow Man cleanly in half. The legs fell, as did the upper half. I used a blast of force to fling the torso off of the chasm while Rex ripped off the other arm of his target. I drew the pistol as it looked at me. I leveled it with the head and fired, followed by quickly firing a second round into the chest, knocking it to the ground as the head flew into the abyss. "And that's a day in the life of an adventurer."

"Wow, that was brilliant." Hannah said. I smiled as I spun the katana around my wrist before putting it away. I opened the pistol and dropped out the extra round, along with the spent cartridges. I put it away and stretched. "How did you do that thing where you flung them away? That was amazing!" I smiled and turned to her.

"It's magic." I said. "I learned how to use it in the Guild of Heroes. I can also use another couple of useful spells." I pulled out a treat for Rex as the Mana flew into my body. I knelt and held out the treat as he walked up to me. "Who's a good boy? Who ripped that Hollow Man's arms off for mommy?" He ate the treat as I pet him happily. "There's a good Rex. There's a good dog."  
…

I stood at the top of a stairwell while Hannah stood on the pressure pad below. I readied my pistol and my Inferno.

"Okay, this is a good place for those Hollow Men to attack us." I said. "Are you ready Hannah?" She nodded and I stepped onto the pad by me. The water flowed from the ceiling into the jug as the spirits went into the ground again, pulling up four Hollow Men. "Here we go!" I threw a ball of fire at one, knocking it back. I fired on one Hollow Man three times and it fell to the ground, which I followed with a Force Blast that made the body explode. I fired another two rounds into the now flaming Hollow Man and a Force Blast to keep one away from Hannah. "This isn't so tough. I'm barely trying here."

"I wish I could help you with this." She said. "I'd give anything to break my vow on nonviolence here. But, I can't drop this stupid Jug or we lose the water and have to start all over again." I reloaded the pistol quickly and fired four rounds into the second to last Hollow Man while Rex ripped the left arm off of the other. I fired the fifth round into that one's head while a Force Blast shattered the other. "Nice shot Sparrow, you're great at this."

"I'm just doing what comes naturally to me." I said modestly. "They aren't putting up much of a fight. If they had guns, then we'd be in trouble." She laughed as I fired one last Inferno ball into the remaining Hollow Man, making it burn up and fall apart. "This is a lot easier than I could have hoped for."  
…

I walked along behind Hannah. The gate had been slow to open and Rex had run through before us. He had returned with the head of a Hollow Man. We walked into a big room and the gates shut behind us.

"Uh-oh, this can't be good." Hannah said. I looked ahead as a single large Hollow Man appeared, without his head. "What the, is he the one Rex ran into?"

"Must be." I said. I stepped forward and drew my sword. The Hollow Man walked toward me slowly. He had two swords and a large muscular body. I walked to the left of him and slashed his body once, making him turn toward a pillar. He ran forward and ran directly into it. He backed away and stabbed it with one sword, getting the whole blade into the stone. I smiled and charged the lightning. "Let's see how this works." I loosed it into the back of the creature and it seemed indifferent. "Okay, that didn't work." It pulled the sword out and turned toward me. I focused my mind and held my right hand out, and the world completely stopped. I ran behind him and ran my sword through his back before running over to Hannah. Time resumed its normal pace as I smiled. The Hollow Man stumbled forward and turned around. 'Total awesomeness.' I felt a nagging pain in my head, as well as the rest of my body.

"Whoa, how did you do that?" Hannah asked.

'Sparrow, are you alright?' Theresa asked.

'I'm fine.' I replied. 'I, I'm just a bit dizzy. I guess I need more training with that Time spell.'

"Are you alright Sparrow?" Hannah asked. I shook my head and drew the pistol. I fired five rounds into the body of the Hollow Man and he stumbled back at the five new holes.

"I'm fine." I replied again. "I just used a spell I learned a while back."

"You're a Hero aren't you?" She asked. I nodded. "Bloomin' daisies, I never thought I'd live to see a Hero in my lifetime."

"Well, I'm not used to the spell." I said as I reloaded the pistol. I fired the rounds again and five more holes appeared. The body began trembling slightly and it walked a bit slower, as if it were about to collapse. "It made me a bit dizzy to use it, but with some practice I should be able to use it a little more easily." I reloaded again and fired at the right sword. It snapped and fell to the ground as the Hollow Man lost his grip. I did the same to the other sword and it growled at me. How it did that without a head I still don't know. I fired on both elbows and one more to the chest and it began running toward me. I held out my right hand and fired a blast of Force energy and the whole upper body shattered. The legs broke away from the pelvis and slid to a halt on the ground in front of me. It trembled so I kicked it over to the other side of the room. "And that's how Heroes get it done." I put the pistol and sword away and stretched my arms as the combination of all four kinds of Mana was absorbed into my body.

"Wow, that was brilliant Sparrow, I'm just getting more and more impressed over here." Hannah said. "I wish I could use even that little fire spell you used. That was amazing, and I could think of a dozen things to use any of those things for." I smiled as she walked past. "Well, we'd best be getting on. We need to make one last stop to purify the water, and we'll be ready to go back to water the Golden Acorn."  
…

I ran along the hard ground with Rex behind me. We were told that a man with a gun had attacked the monastery. Hannah had set the jug into the arms of one of the priests and ripped a ceremonial hammer from a statue on the wall. She had taken off before I had, and she had a look in her eyes I knew well. It was the look of hatred, of anger. It was the well known look of revenge. I jumped over the stream as Rex ploughed through it. Theresa had taught me the Vortex spell, and I had further improved my muscle strength and speed, as well as my reflexes and reaction time with the rest. I ran into the temple as the man fired his gun. It hit Hannah directly in the center of her chest, but it bounced off as if it were a fly. She swung the hammer and hit him right in the side of his head, sending him to the ground as I walked up. She dropped the hammer and started crying over the dead body of her father.

"No, this can't be happening." She cried quietly. "No, no, not now, not now dad, please don't leave me."

A memory flashed in front of my eyes for a moment. I was standing on the pedestal, Rose was beside me, and Lucien was pointing his flintlock pistol at her. I raised my right hand and he fired, killing her instantly. I stepped back, holding my hands up in front of me.

"I'm sorry." He said. "But this is how it must be." He pulled back the hammer and aimed it at me. I saw a glimmer of sorrow in his eyes as he fired. That's what brought me back to the present.

"Same shit, different day." I whispered. "Whole new point of view." I stepped forward and around Hannah as she cried into her hands. I looked at the man and he looked up at me. He was still alive. "Why did you do this? What right did you have to take this man's life? He has done nothing to you."

"I was sent here for the large one." He said weakly. Hannah stopped crying and I knew she was watching as I drew my pistol. "I was sent to collect her, by Lord Lucien, and I was to use, any means necessary." He tried to raise his own pistol, an iron made turret pistol with four barrels. I pointed my own pistol at him. I felt the familiar hate in my heart once again, at the name.

"Where is he?" I asked coldly. "Where is Lucien Fairfax?" I pulled back the hammer as he dropped the gun, nearly dead. "Where is he?"

"I'll never tell you." He said. He spat up some blood as I kneeled by him. I lifted his head and put the barrel to his chest. I fired five times in rapid succession and he coughed up the rest of his blood. "You, bitch."

"Wrong answer asshole." I said through my teeth. I dropped him and reloaded the gun. I stood up and turned to Hannah. "I'm so sorry for what he did Hannah. Your father didn't deserve this."


	4. The Luck

Okay, chapter four of Sparrow's flight. It's getting good now folks, more plot, but not a great deal of action. There's some action, just not a lot. Mostly plot, follows the story, not a lot else.

So, the Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby once more state that I do not own the rights to Fable or Fable II.  
…

I stood calmly beside Hannah as the preacher gave the prayers and eulogy. I held my hands together in front of me, my mask held in my right hand. Rex sat beside me, his head held low. Hannah was silent, with no tears, but a sorrowful expression. I felt nothing in my heart, knowing that pity wouldn't be right, and sadness wouldn't come to me since I didn't know the man or his daughter. The Golden Acorn was planted in the ground on his body, so he could become one with the tree, and his spirit would watch over the town from the branches. I closed my eyes and wondered what she would do. I figured it wouldn't be right for me to tell her to be strong at a time like this, and any words from me would probably sound empty. I opened my eyes, not listening to the man as he spoke. I looked at Hannah and she stared at the grave.

'You are worried Sparrow.' Theresa said. I lowered my head and closed my eyes again, imagining her face. 'You do not know what to say. That is understandable. You did not know the man beyond his giving you the task to protect her.'

'I, I know how she feels though.' I replied quietly. 'She lost her father exactly the same way I lost my sister. We both loved them more than anything else in the world, and we lost them to the same man. It was an agent of Lucien, and I couldn't stop him.' I opened my eyes and looked at the mask in my hands. 'I feel terrible about this whole thing.'

'That is why you must fight.' Theresa said. 'You must help me convince Hannah that she too must take up arms and help us fight to take him down. You must tell her about her destiny.'

'I can't Theresa.' I replied quietly. 'If I say anything, it would be nothing more than empty words. She won't believe me if I tell her she's supposed to help me kill Lucien.'

'Then what will you do?' She asked. 'Would you prefer that I tell her?'

'Theresa, I'm good for fighting, for protecting people from physical harm.' I replied calmly. 'You have a way with words far more than I. She would believe you. If only you could be here.' I looked up and saw the others leaving while Hannah walked over to the edge of the cliff, looking out to the sea.

'I can be Sparrow.' Theresa said. 'It will take me a few moments, so talk to her. Tell her what you think she needs to hear.' I nodded and pulled my mask on.

"Hannah." I said quietly. I walked up to her left side and rested my forearms on the fence beside her. "I know how you feel." She looked at me. My voice was soft and quiet. "I, I lost my sister, to the man the shooter worked for." I looked at her with a trace of sadness in my heart, and my eyes. "He, killed her right in front of me. And, then he shot me out of a thirty story window." I looked at my hands while Rex lay down by my feet. "He shot me in the arm, but he shot my sister in the heart. I survived only because I'm a Hero. But, my sister, she wasn't so lucky." I closed my eyes. "I, I know it might not mean much, because it happened ten years ago, but I know what it feels like to lose someone you love so much." I opened my eyes and felt a tear roll down my cheek. "I was only seven at the time, and, you knew your father a lot longer than that, but I know how bad you must feel." I looked at her and she shook her head.

"I see where you're coming from Sparrow." She said. "But, with all due respect, you don't know a bloody thing about how I'm feeling right now. I, I just want to curl up and die." I looked at the sea.

"I felt the same way when I hit the ground." I said. "Thirty stories out of a stained glass window, a bullet lodged in my right shoulder, the roof of a house against my face, my chest, and cold, cold stone catching my back." She looked at me. "I opened my eyes, and I felt the blood leaving my body. I was so cold, and I knew death was close to me, watching me bleeding to death while the snow fell on my seven year old body." I shivered at the memory. "And, and then she showed up. Out of nowhere, with Rex running ahead. I wanted nothing more than to just let go and die, I wanted to give up." I felt more tears leaving my eyes. "I just wanted to be with my sister, in death, where we wouldn't be starving orphans anymore." She gasped. "But, thanks to her, I lived. The blind gypsy that came out of nowhere, saved my life. She nursed me back to health, and she trained me to fight." I smiled slightly. "The other Gypsies taught me how to use guns, crossbows, and anything else useful they could. For ten years I wanted to find Lucien Fairfax, and I still do. I want to find him, walk right up to him, and shove my hand into his chest, and pull out his cold, black, still beating, heart." I emphasized heart and squeezed my right hand into a tight fist. "I want to feel his blood on my bare hands. I want him to beg me not to kill him. I want to hear him beg like my sister did."

"Sparrow, I, I." Hannah started.

"I want him to feel every last ounce of pain he's caused me." I said. I looked at her. "And I want him to feel your pain. He gave the order to capture you, and it cost your father his life." She nodded. "And when I find him, I'm going to make him beg for mercy." I stood up straight and fixed my gloves. "I want him to beg me for his life. And I'll tell him exactly who I am." I fingered the gun on my belt. "He's going to beg me for mercy, and I'm going to give it to him." I drew the pistol and pointed it ahead of me. "I'll give him mercy, right between his eyes."  
…

Theresa had spoken to Hannah. She agreed to help us, out of the hope she could keep Lucien from killing other people like her father. I used the Guild Seal to teleport back to the ruins. I walked up to Theresa and Hannah stared at me.

"Sparrow, how did we get here?" She asked.

"Magic." I replied plainly. I put my pistol back into the holster and pulled up a chair while Rex sat down beside me. "Theresa, what do we do from here?"

"I will bring Hannah up to speed." She said. Hannah shook her head.

"Call me Hammer." She said. "Hannah was weak, unable to protect her own dad. I'm Hammer now, and I won't let anyone else get hurt if I can help it."

"Hammer, a fitting name." Theresa said. She gestured to a large square headed hammer beside her. "Consider this yours. It once belonged to a strong Hero. A man so strong, he was able to split buildings in half with a single swing of this mighty weapon." Hammer picked it up and smiled slightly. "Treat this weapon well. Take care of it, and it will take care of you." She looked it over while I leaned back, using the Force Push spell to hold it in place. It was as if I had telekinesis. She began talking and I tuned her out.  
…

I walked along the streets of Bowerstone, heading toward the inn. Lucien's butler was there, and he was selling Lucien's diary. I had to get it, by any means necessary. The Mage, the Hero of Will, had been captured. I had met him before, a man named Garth, years before. I walked into the Inn and asked the innkeeper where he was. I walked up the stairs and entered the room he was in.

"So, you're here for the diary?" The butler said. He was the one I had seen ten years ago, I knew from his face.

"Yes." I said calmly. "So how much do you want for it?"

"Well, considering the nature of this rare treasure, I won't let go of it for anything less than a thousand." He said. I groaned and pulled out my coin bag. I pulled out a smaller bag, full to one thousand coins. I tossed it to him, ready to draw my pistol and shoot him if he tried to trick me. "Well, this looks to be enough." He put the bag on the table to his right and pulled out a piece of paper.

"Either he wasn't big on writing, or I've been had." I said calmly. He shook his head and handed me the paper.

"This is a map." He explained. "I hid it so that I wouldn't have to worry about it being stolen. You'll find it right where the map says." I sighed. "Well, I'm off. Things to do and all that."  
…

'Stupid butler.' I thought bitterly.

'At least you have the map.' Theresa said. 'You know where the diary is, so you will be able to get it easily. It's a step in the right direction.'

I walked up to the tree stump mentioned on the map and the ground began shaking. After a few seconds a large creature of mud, dirt, and trees burst from the ground and roared.

"And that would be two steps in the wrong direction." I said loudly. I jumped back as it slammed a fist into the ground. I drew my pistol and fired at it, doing no visible damage.

'Aim for the nerve clusters!' Theresa said quickly. 'They are the glowing yellow spots on the body.' I growled and reloaded. I rolled out of the way of another slam and saw the nerve clusters.

I slowed time and rushed in. I fired repeatedly at the closest while using Inferno rapidly on the others. They burst into flame as I ran back to where I had stood a moment before. There were still three visible when time resumed its normal pace. It formed a ball of mud at the right fist, if it could be called that, and threw it at me. I used Force Push to break it into pieces that harmlessly flew around me. I fired another Inferno at it and put my gun away. The Inferno had destroyed the three clusters but it was still standing. The pistol was next to useless against the creature, so I would be getting a new rifle at my next opportunity. I circled it and saw three more nerve clusters on the back I pointed both hands at the ground and jumped while using two Force Push spells at once. It had the desired effect of launching me onto the back of the monster. Summoning all my focus I used the Inferno to light the whole back on fire, causing all of the clusters to explode at once. I jumped back and landed while Rex ran up to me, luckily unharmed.

'Well done Sparrow.' Theresa said. 'Hammer says that she could not have done better herself. Now dig up the diary and hurry back to us.'

"I'm on it Theresa." I said. I pulled out my shovel and the map. I walked over to the spot and saw recently disturbed earth that had not been made by the creature.  
…

I walked along the path behind Hammer. We had slain dozens of bandits, and she had done so with amazing agility, despite the weight of her incredibly heavy looking weapon. We had killed creatures called Balverines, large wolfish creatures that had once been human. We were in a ruin, walking along to help a woman save her child. At least, that was what she said she needed us for. Rex was a bit scared, and no amount of words from me could calm him down. We walked down the path and we walked into a large open chamber. The doors slammed behind us and Rex whimpered.

"What was that?" Hammer asked quickly. I stared as the woman gave us an evil glare.

"Come my children!" She yelled. "Come and feast on these foolish travelers!" She jumped into the air like the Balverines we had slain before we arrived.

"I thought this might be a trap." I said quietly. I drew my sword as three of the large beasts landed in front of us. Hammer readied her weapon and I formed a large ball of fire in my right hand. According to Theresa, this was a 'level' three variation of the Inferno spell. It had incinerated bandits, and Balverines seemed very weak to the flames. "Let's get to it then." I launched the ball and the first one was engulfed in flames as the second jumped at Hammer. It was the least intelligent thing to do, for Hammer retaliated by bringing her hammer to the side of its face, sending it into the second, which had leapt at me. I readied another Inferno as one landed behind me. The first had died from the flames as the other two got up. I turned and blocked its claws with my sword, following with hitting it with the fireball in my hand. It roared and jumped back. I turned and swung as a Balverine approached, slicing its clawed hands off, making it roar in pain. I kicked it away as Hammer brought her weapon down to crush the head of the other. "Jeeze, these things don't know when to give up!"

"You killed my children!" Screamed a growling female voice. I turned and decapitated the flaming Balverine behind me when a white one landed behind it.

"Oh shit!" I yelled. I jumped back as she slashed at the space I had just occupied.

"What the hell?" Hammer called. She swung her hammer and it caught it easily, though it was pushed away and I heard bones cracking. She groaned as I used a third stage Force Push to fling it across the room. I turned and saw a large cracked pillar. The top was badly damaged, and I'd be willing to bet that it was totally detached from the ceiling. I looked down and saw the base was badly cracked, strained under the weight I would have wagered. "What are looking at?"

"The pillar." I replied. "Can you push it down while I hold her off?" I looked to see her nodded; her eyes alight with understanding of my plan. I nodded as she ran over to it. I turned and saw the mother Balverine running at me. "Shit!" I blocked her claws and backed away quickly. "Geeze lady, you sure got ugly in a hurry."

"You human bitch!" She called. "You killed my children!" I put my left hand behind me and assumed a fencing stance while I readied a third stage Inferno spell. I blocked her strikes quickly while maintaining a healthy distance from her. I smiled and she roared at me. "You will die this night you bitch!" I stepped aside and she slammed her head into a stone wall. I heard the pillar fall and Hammer calling me, but I pointed the ball of fire at the Balverine.

"Say hello to Dash and Thag for me will you?" I taunted. The Balverine looked up at me as I let the ball go forward. She screamed as it hit her, directly in her mouth. It exploded and I jumped back as she became engulfed in flames. I loosed lightning at her, making her shudder and jerk in agony. She collapsed, still twitching and in flames. Her Mana flew into me while I put my sword away. "And that takes care of her."

"That was pretty good Sparrow." Hammer said. I smiled as Rex barked happily. He was beside her. "You're getting pretty good with that magic." I smiled and walked over to her. We walked across her makeshift bridge, over a pit of spikes.


End file.
